Forever
by Silent Angel of Time
Summary: -Complete- Lizzie's kindey fails and Gordo is willing to donate one of his kidney's to her but will his father stand in the way of Lizzie's life?
1. Chapter 1

Ok I based this off a book I don't own the rights of, "Saving Jessica." By Lurlene McDaniel. I don't own Lizzie McGuire either  
  
"Hi Ms. Gordon, is Gordo there?"   
"Yes, he is, may I asked who's calling?"   
"It's me Lizzie."   
"Oh my Lizzie dear I didn't even realize it was you. Do you have a cold dear?"  
"Sort of, is Gordo around?"  
"Yes, one moment." Ms. Gordon covered the received and called up the stairs, "David the telephone is for you!"  
"Thanks Mom I'll get it up here." 17-year-old Gordo called back. "This is Gordo."  
Gordo heard a sniff and then, "Gordo could you come over here please?"  
"Lizzie what's wrong?" Gordo asked quickly realized immediately that there was something was wrong with his girlfriend.  
"Um, could you just come over?" Lizzie asked again, it was obvious that she was trying to keep her voice even.  
"Sure, I will be right over."   
"OK just come in my parents know that you are coming." Lizzie said quietly before hanging up, not even bothering to say goodbye.  
"Mom, I've got to go over to Lizzies. I will be back soon."  
"Hey wait a minute. Don't you have SAT's you need to be studying for?"  
"Yeah I do. But something's wrong with Lizzie."  
Ms. Gordon shook her head as she watched her son go out through the garage car keys in hand.  
  
Gordo opened Lizzie's house door and heard Jo McGuire call out to him, "Gordo Lizzie's upstairs in her room you can go on up."  
"Lizzie?" Gordo asked tapping on Lizzie's door softly.  
"Come in Gordo." Lizzie's voice came weakly from the other side of the door.  
As soon as Gordo walked in he saw Lizzie wipe tears off of her cheeks. Gordo rushed to Lizzie's side and took her into his arms. "Lizzie what's wrong?" Gordo watched Lizzie lick her lips nervously and wring her hands. "Lizzie?"  
"I have to go to the hospital." Lizzie finally managed to blurt.  
"What? What do you mean you have to go to the hospital?" Gordo asked taking Lizzie's hand.  
"My family doctor says that he wants to run some tests. He says I'm not just sick, something is wrong with me."  
Gordo pulled Lizzie to him, "What do they think is wrong with you?"  
"They don't know. They just know that something is more wrong with me than anemia. And they say the only way they can figure it out is if they put me in the hospital to check for sure." Lizzie looked at Gordo with tearful blue eyes, "What if something is really wrong with me Gordo?"  
"Nothing's wrong with you. But if there is I am going to be there for you." Gordo sated fiercely.  
Lizzie leaned against Gordo's chest, "Promise?"  
"I promise. What hospital are they taking you to?"  
"The one in Georgiatown." Lizzie sighed.  
"Georgiatown? Why that far away?" Gordo asked.  
Lizzie shrugged, "I'm not sure, but I think my doctor has an idea as to what they think is wrong with me, but he isn't telling anyone. So I guess that is why they are sending me to Georgiatown."  
"It's going to be OK." Gordo whispered in Lizzie's hair holding her tightly to him.  
Jo knocked on the door lightly and stuck her head in the door, "I'm sorry to interrupt but we should be taking Lizzie to the hospital now. Gordo you are welcome to come with us."  
"Thanks." Gordo said taking Lizzie's hand.  
Lizzie shook her head, "Gordo you have SAT's you need to study for SAT's."  
"I can do that later."   
"It's just going to be a lot of testing." Jo did add.  
"Begging your pardon Mrs. McGuire but I'm going."  
"But Gordo…" Lizzie started.  
Gordo silenced her with a kiss, "I'm going."  
  
"Gordo, Miranda you're actually in school today." Laurie Webb commented one morning a week later.  
Miranda lay a head down on the picnic table where she, Laurie Webb, Laurie's boyfriend Mark McRoy, Grace Vitaro, Gordo and usually Lizzie met in the morning. "Lizzie made up come." Miranda mumbled.  
"She didn't want us to miss anymore school." Gordo added groggily rubbing his eyes.  
"And you listened to her?" Grace piped up.  
"We should all be there for her." Laurie said crossing her arms.  
"Normally we wouldn't have. But last night was a bad night she had a really headache and we didn't want to upset set her so we told her we would go to school but we are going back to the hospital immediately after." Miranda said lifting her head up off the table.  
"You know she doesn't want everybody at the hospital Laurie. It's taken a lot to get her to let Miranda and I to be there. She doesn't feel well most of the time. I'm going to get a coke anybody want anything?"  
Everybody either shook their heads or waved Gordo off, "Is Gordo OK?" Mark asked, "He never drinks coke in the morning."  
"Lizzie gets her test results back today. Everyone's really nervous about it, and you know how edgy Gordo gets when Lizzie is upset about anything."  
Everyone nodded, they all knew how he got.   
  
"Where's Miranda?" Lizzie asked when Gordo walked into her room after school that day.  
"She decided to stay home." Gordo watched relief spread across Lizzie's face, and that was why he had suggested Miranda stay home. Miranda hadn't been happy, but she had finally relented. She had known Lizzie long enough to know that even though Miranda was her best friend she still had a sense of modesty when it came to not feeling well, she didn't like a lot of people around. "When's the doctor going to be here?"  
"Any minute." Sam McGuire said from his seat next to the other side of Lizzie's bed.  
"Mom went out to find him." Matt said from his seat. Gordo looked at the pale teenage boy. Gordo felt sorry for Matt, it had only been 2 years ago when he had been in the hospital with leukemia, he had spent nearly 4 months straight in the hospital, finally falling into remission.  
Jo came in soon after followed by Lizzie's normal family doctor, Dr. Michaels, and the doctor that had been assigned to her case at the hospital, Dr. Morgan, and a new doctor, a slight female, with graying red hair.  
Gordo took Lizzie's hand, and she squeezed it tightly. "Lizzie this is Dr. Grace." Dr. Morgan introduced.  
Lizzie nodded at the doctor but didn't say anything, and Dr. Michaels started talking, "Lizzie do you remember last year when you had strepthroat?"  
Lizzie nodded, "Yeah I was really sick. But what has that got to do with anything?"  
"Well when you came in you had had it for awhile and it was pretty advanced."  
"Yes." Lizzie nodded.  
"Pardon me. But what does this have anything to do with anything?" Sam asked exasperated.  
"Let me get to the point." Dr. Morgan cut in.  
"Please do." Sam mumbled.  
"Lizzie advanced strep can cause some many problems, in this case it took a toll on your kidney."  
"What are you going to do about it?" Jo asked.  
"Can you give her medicine to take care of it?" Sam asked.  
"Does she have to stay in the hospital?" Poor Matt looked terrified for his sister.  
"Is she going to be OK?" Gordo asked, Lizzie didn't say anything but continued to cling to Gordo, as if he was her only link to what was going on.  
"Lizzie we brought Dr. Grace in because she can explain in greater length what is wrong." With Dr. Morgan's words the 2 male doctors left the room.  
"Lizzie your kidney is in failure. Endstage renal disease."  
"What does that mean?" Lizzie whispered.  
Gordo closed his eyes, this was the one time in his life when he wished he wasn't so damn smart, and didn't know so much. He had done a research paper on different diseases, kidney failure was one of the,  
"It means you are in total kidney failure."  
"So can you give me some medicine or something to stop it?" Lizzie asked, she could feel how tense Gordo was and she couldn't tear her eyes away from Dr. Grace's neutral face to look at Gordo's.  
Dr. Grace shook her head.  
"I can't live without an organ." Lizzie cried, "Am I going to die."  
"Not in this day and age, and not if I can prevent it. There are several things we can do now to keep you alive. We are going to start you on dialysis immediately."   
"Dialysis."   
Gordo turned to Lizzie, "It cleans all of the waste out of you body. Taking over the job of your kidneys."  
"You will have dialysis 3 times a week."  
"3 times a week?" Lizzie recoiled as if she had been struck.  
"It will keep you alive." Dr. Grace responded.  
"For how long?" Jo asked.  
"Her whole life."   
"My whole life?" Lizzie gasped, "Isn't there another way?"  
"There is always kidney transplant. But they conditions have to be just right."  
"So with dialysis, all I have to do is come in and be hooked up to a machine 2 times a week?" Lizzie asked.  
"It's not that simple I'm afraid. Dialysis will cleanse the wastes and toxins from your body but you will be taking medication to help with the anemia also."  
Lizzie looked towards Gordo tearfully, Gordo kissed Lizzie gently on the forehead, and whispered so no one else in the room could hear "We are going to get through this together."  
Lizzie took a deep breath and asked the question she was dreading, "So what's next?"  
Lizzie had to force herself to listen to Dr. Grace talk to her about the surgery they would be doing to put an external shunt in her arm for dialysis. And then how they were going to have to poke a needle in her arm every time she went in for dialysis.  
Lizzie sat in bed, her face growing paler and paler as Dr. Grace explained more and more, "I know this is hard for you Lizzie, I know you are a young girl who has her whole life in front of her. I'm going to let you get some rest, then I am going to send over some pamphlets and a dietitian a little later tonight. He will go over what you can and can't eat, and how much you can eat. And I will schedule you for surgery in the morning."  
Jo and Sam shook Dr. Grace's hand, and Gordo stood protectively at Lizzie's side. And Gordo was the only one who heard Lizzie whisper "Why is this happening to me?"  
More than anything at those words Gordo wanted to pull Lizzie into his arms and shelter her from the world. But he could do that as well as he could answer her simple question.  
  
"David where have you been young man?" Ms. Gordon asked as Gordo walked into the living room later that night. "I thought that you said you would be home by dinner tonight?"  
Gordo slammed his car keys on the desk table causing his mother to jump, "Lizzie saw her doctor today."  
"Well what's wrong with her then?" Ms. Gordon asked.  
"She is in kidney failure." Gordo stated.  
"David I'm sorry." Ms. Gordon said quietly, but suddenly her tone changed, "You can't ignore your studies though. Your almost have high school finished, you can't blow these last few weeks."  
"Mom!" Gordo exclaimed throwing up his hands. "I just told you Lizzie is in kidney failure and you tell me that I have to concentrate on my studies."  
"I'm sorry David, I truly am about Lizzie, she is a wonderful girl. But just because she is sick doesn't mean you have to change anything in your life."   
"I tell you my girlfriend is terminally ill and you tell me I shouldn't change my whole life? I promised her I would take her to dialysis 3 times a week." Gordo said ignoring his mother's comments, "Her mom just started a new job and she really loves it. It's her first time working since Lizzie was born. I don't want her to have to quit her job."  
Ms. Gordon shook her head, "Your father called."  
Gordo sighed, "What did he want?"  
"He wanted to talk to you. You wants you to call him."  
"Where is he this time? Peru?" Gordo asked, angry with his father, it was a nice change in emotions at the moment.  
"He is in Switzerland he said he has something important to tell you."  
"Last time he said that he told me he was getting married, what else can he tell me?"  
"Gordo your father does love you." Ms. Gordo said quietly.  
"I don't care. I'm not calling him, I have enough to worry about." 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
I know it's been forever since I updated, but the point is that I updated right?  
  
Lizzie sighs heavily flipping through a machine as the dialysis machine beside her whirled as it cleaned her body of the waste that threatened to kill her. She hadn't realized her deep sigh had attracted anyone's attention until her favorite nurse Allison came over, "how are you and Fred today?" Allison had taken to Lizzie immediately, it was probably the fact that Lizzie had nicknamed her dialysis machine Fred and that she was usually cheerful and upbeat despite how sick she was after every treatment.  
  
"Fred and I are kind of sick of each other." Lizzie sighs setting her magazine aside and focusing her attention on Allison.   
  
"I'm sorry Lizzie, I think your kind of stuck with him, like a sibling, I suppose." Allison suggests.  
  
Lizzie offers a weak smile, "my brother and I used to get sick of each other all the time now we hardly see each other enough to get sick of each other. Between my appointments here with Fred and then how sick I get after. I really don't get to see much of my family ever. Or my friends or Gordo."  
  
"How is Gordo do anyway?" Allison asks hoping the change of subject will cheer Lizzie up.  
  
"He's great, I mean he brings me to and picks me up from all my appointments. He offers to stay with me, but I don't want him to so he usually goes to the library around the corner and studies or does homework or whatever. But I hate that he has put his entire life on hold for me. He got accepted to just about every college on the face of the planet, Yale, Harvard, Cambridge, and Oxford plus a zillion others. But when I asked him if he any idea which one he thought he wanted to go to he just shrugged and said he was probably considering the UCLA so that he could stick close to me."  
  
"He really loves you." Allison smiles.  
  
Lizzie nods, "I know...but I just don't want him to pick his whole life around me and my dialysis treatments."  
  
Allison squeezes Lizzie's hand reassuringly, "you can't make his choices for him, maybe he wants to go to UCLA."  
  
Lizzie shrugs, "I guess but he is so much better than that."  
  
"So how are you feeling after dialysis?" Allison asks changing the question to Lizzie's health.  
  
Lizzie shakes her head, "I still get so sick after all of my appointments. I thought this was going to make me well enough to go back to school but they've put me in this distance learning. Basically it's so I will graduate with my class but I get a tutor that my parents pay for that come from the school and help me keep caught up in my classes."  
  
"Well that's good at least." Allison offers.  
  
"Yes, but I want to go back to school." Lizzie sighs.  
  
"You will, you just have to adjust to the different combinations Dr. Grace is putting you on." Allison promises.  
  
Lizzie's just as Gordo walks in, "I guess."  
  
"All right well let's get you cleaned up so you can go off with your gorgeous boyfriend." Allison states carefully pulling the needle out of her arm.   
  
Once Allison is finished Gordo helps Lizzie to stand and the two walk out of the dialysis office with Gordo's arm around Lizzie's waist supporting her on her walk to the car. "How are you feeling?" Gordo asks once Lizzie is situated in the car and he has pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
"Terrible, I just want to go home and sleep. I hope you don't mind." Lizzie sighs, Gordo had said something about hanging out at her house and watching a movie if she felt up to it.  
  
"Of course not." Gordo shakes his head, "but I am holding you to the promise of that movie."  
  
Lizzie smiles weakly at Gordo and nods, "ok."  
  
By the time they actually reach the McGuire household Lizzie is asleep and Jo is waiting in the doorway for them, hurrying to her side of the car Gordo scoops Lizzie up and carries her into her bedroom where Jo sets about making Lizzie comfortable.  
  
15-minutes later Gordo is waiting in the living room when Jo finally comes downstairs, "I think she's going to stay asleep for the rest of the night."  
  
"Mrs. McGuire can I talk to you?" Gordo asks.  
  
By the look on the face Gordo knows that Jo know what he is going to ask her, but she nods anyway and the two take seats in the living room.  
  
"Mrs. McGuire she's not getting any better. I thought Dr. Grace said that after two to three weeks the medications would balance themselves out, well it's been a month. What's going on?"  
  
Jo sighs and runs a hand through her hair, "the dialysis isn't working."  
  
"Then why do they keep her on it?" Gordo explodes.  
  
"That's what I mean, what I mean is it's working but not enough. What I mean is it keeps her more healthy than she would be if she wasn't on it at all but Dr. Grace doesn't like the degree to which it is helping her."  
  
"So what a new mix of drugs?" Gordo asks.  
  
Jo shakes her head, "there's another type of dialysis but Dr. Grace isn't even considering her for it. Dr. Grace thinks that Lizzie's best bet is a kidney transplant."  
  
Gordo licks his lips, nodding, "I understand."  
  
"I know you do, that's why I am telling you this. We are going to need you to help Lizzie through this, she doesn't know yet."  
  
"What's the problem though? Someone doesn't have to die to donate. Family members can donate a kidney." Gordo asks, "have you and Mr. McGuire been tested?"  
  
Jo nods, "we aren't high enough matches."  
  
Gordo's head drops, "and because of Matt's leukemia he can't donate his kidney."  
  
Jo nods again, wiping away her tears, "that's right."  
  
"So what now?" Gordo asks.  
  
"Now they put her on the list for donors and we wait, and until then Lizzie suffers through dialysis." Jo responds.  
  
"But there are thousands of people on that list." Gordo exclaims, "it could take Lizzie years to even get close enough for them to seriously consider her."  
  
Jo nods, "I know, but there's no other choice. Until she gets close enough I have to watch my baby suffer 3 days a week." 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three  
  
OK I had some problems with chapters uploading for some reason chapter three was chapter two with an addition...So basically I'm going to replace the old chapter three with this one, you may just want to go back and check the last chapter to see where it left off...maybe then it will make more sense...anyway sorry for the confusion!  
  
The next day Lizzie's family and Gordo stared after the empty spot she had left in the living room, Jo and Sam had just told Lizzie what Jo had told Gordo the night before. Lizzie hadn't taken it well and fled outside.  
  
"I'll go after her." Gordo offers knowing that Jo and Sam were going to have their hands full dealing with the shocked and hurt expression on Matt's face.  
  
"Hey." Gordo finds Lizzie sitting on the porch swing, her knees pulled to her chest.  
  
"Hey." Lizzie's voice is mournful and as Gordo sits beside her Lizzie states, "I'm going to die."  
  
"Lizzie don't talk like that." Gordo whispers.  
  
"Gordo don't play dumb, you know it, I know you know I know it, I don't want to lie about it anymore. And I don't want to be lied to about it. We both know my chances of getting a transplant in time are tiny."  
  
"Lizzie..."  
  
"Please Gordo, just be honest with me." Lizzie begs.  
  
Gordo nods slowly, "all right. The truth is there are thousands of people on the donor list and it's a very long process that could take..."  
  
"A life time?" Lizzie asks tears gently slipping down her face.  
  
Gordo is unable to say any words and he silently takes Lizzie into his arms and doesn't say anything as she cries into his chest. Within minutes though Lizzie goes limp against him and Gordo can hear her ragged breath from her sobs, Gordo gently lifts her into his arms and walks back inside.  
  
"Gordo do you mind taking her up to her room?" Jo asks, Gordo can tell that all of the McGuire's have been crying as well.  
  
Gordo nods and once he reaches Lizzie's room he gently lays her on the bed and when Gordo turns to leave the bedroom Lizzie calls after him, "please stay with me Gordo, I don't want to be alone."  
  
It was nearly an hour and a half later when Gordo actually left Lizzie's house, she had fallen asleep as soon as Gordo had crawled into bed with her and wrapped his arms around her. But Gordo had remained there watching Lizzie sleep and formulating a plan.   
  
"Gordo do you want to stay for dinner?" Jo questions when Gordo finally appears in the kitchen.  
  
Gordo shakes his head, "there is something I have to take care of, but thank you anyway."  
  
"All right, thank you too Gordo, I'm sure you've helped Lizzie in a way we couldn't have." Sam adds.  
  
Gordo doesn't respond to Sam's statement and instead says, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."  
  
Gordo made his way straight to the office part of the hospital seeking out Dr. Grace and hoping she was in her office and not making rounds.   
  
"Is Dr. Grace in?" Gordo asks her secretary.  
  
"She is, do you have an appointment?" The older woman asks.  
  
Gordo shakes his head, "but it's really important."  
  
"She's a very busy woman, I can make you an appointment for..."  
  
"Lydia it's all right, I expected Mr. Gordon would be stopping by to see me." Dr. Grace steps out of her office, looking like she was preparing to go home. "Come on in, we'll talk."  
  
"She needs a transplant soon, doesn't she?" Gordo asks once they are seated across from each other in Dr. Grace's office.  
  
Dr. Grace nods, "she's got a lot worse more quickly than we anticipated she would."  
  
"Can you explain her situation to me completely?" Gordo asks.  
  
Dr. Grace nods, "Lizzie's parents have made it clear that you will probably understand all of this more than they will. They think you can handle knowing so ask me questions and I will try my best to explain them to you."  
  
Gordo nods, "thank you. Because of her condition...how long do you think she is going to be on the list."  
  
"Probably eight months." Dr. Grace responds.  
  
Gordo closes his eyes and then asks, "how much longer does she have."  
  
Dr. Grace takes a deep breath before responding, "at the most, probably four to six months. Dialyses is not working for her, for now it's prolonging her life but I have a feeling that eventually she will stop responding all together to dialysis."  
  
"I want to be tested." Gordo states. "I know it's a long shot but I want to be tested."  
  
"That can be arranged, I will get you the paper work, you are 18, right?"  
  
Gordo's heart falls, "No, I won't be until after graduate."  
  
Dr. Grace nods, "well that shouldn't be a problem, we will just have to fill out some more forms for your parents to sign another form, that won't be a problem will it?"  
  
Gordo shakes his head, "no, I'll take it to her tonight."  
  
"All right, let me get the forms." Dr. Grace turns around and starts shifting through a file folder.  
  
"Dr. Grace, don't tell the McGuires, because if I'm not a match then I don't want to disappoint Lizzie."  
  
"I understand." Dr. Grace nods, "all right. Here are the forms, I need your parents to fill all of these forms out and get them back to me as soon as possible."  
  
"All right, I understand, thank you Dr. Grace." Gordo responds.  
  
"Thank you David."  
  
"I'll get these back to you tomorrow." Gordo responds.   
  
"Gordo, you're home early, I thought you were eating with the McGuire's today?" Gordo's mother questions when he walks into the house.  
  
"I stopped by to see Lizzie's doctor." Gordo responds, "I'm going to be tested to see if I am a match to donate Lizzie one of my kidneys, I just need you to fill out these forms."  
  
"No." Gordo's mother shakes her head. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
  
Roberta and David Gordon were at a stand off in a battle that neither were willing to back down from. "I'm not signing them David, and that is all I have to say. You can't change my mind on the matter."  
  
"Mom." The way Gordo says it sounds childish to his own ears and for such a serious conversation it's the last way he needs to sound. Taking a deep calming breath Gordo responds, "hear me out, please."  
  
"David, I don't understand the point of hearing you out, I won't change my mind."  
  
"Mom, please, just listen to what I have to say." Gordo pleads softly.  
  
"Fine David, I will give you 10 minutes to try to convince me to let you give away an organ." Roberta states, hands planted firmly on her hips.  
  
"First off they have to match a bunch of tests before the will even let me consider donating, it's not healthy for Lizzie otherwise, and that's all you are signing for, the chances of me actually being a match are low." Gordo summarizes.  
  
"And?" Roberta looks questioningly at her son, letting him know that none of what he just said was nearly enough to convince her.  
  
"She's going to die." Gordo states softly staring into his mother's eyes. "And if she could hold on just a little bit longer than she could probably wait for an anonymous person to donate to her, but she doesn't have enough time to hold on. Her doctor says she has maybe six months left, six months."  
  
"David..." Roberta looks to be the on the verge of tears.  
  
"Elizabeth Brooke McGuire, the girl I have loved my whole life and the girl you have watched grow up and counted on having as a daughter-in-law is going to die if someone doesn't do something." Gordo is pushing his own tears back as he speaks, "I just want to help her."  
  
Roberts steps forward at her sons hear-wrenching words and places a gentle hand on his cheek, "I can't stop you from doing this, can I?"  
  
"You could," Gordo sighs, "if you don't sign the paper."  
  
"And the chances, they aren't high that you will be a match?" Roberta asks. Gordo nods and Roberta asks, "and the test isn't dangerous?"  
  
"I'll have to check into the hospital for a few days, but it's just a blood test and a psych evaluation."  
  
Roberta sighs, "I'll sign the paper for the test only, I'm not giving you permission to go giving an organ away."  
  
Gordo nods, "I understand."  
  
"So I passed the psych test and I made sure not to check the box that said 'I sometimes like to kill people'," Gordo makes jokes as he meets with Dr. Grace a week later and two days after he had gotten out of the hospital, he'd hidden his hospital stay with a lie, saying that he was spending time with his visiting Dad for the weekend. "So how did the anitgen test go?"  
  
Dr. Grace's expression is unreadable at first but finally her face breaks into a smile, "I must say I had my doubts about how well you would match."  
  
"We matched?"  
  
Dr. Grace nods, "surprisingly well for someone who isn't related."  
  
Gordo doesn't know what to say in response to this, "I...I can't believe..."  
  
"Gordo we are just beginning, there's more papers your parents have to sign we have to have Lizzie prepped, this is the start of a long process and you can back out now if you don't think you are ready for this. Lizzie has no idea we even did the testing, and she doesn't have to know."  
  
Gordo shakes his head, "I'm doing this. I have to go tell Lizzie."  
  
Dr. Grace nods, "but Gordo..."  
  
"Yeah?" Gordo is all ready to the door.  
  
"Talk to your mother first, because if she doesn't agree to any of this we can't do anything until you turn 18."  
  
"She'll say yes." Gordo assures, "she loves Lizzie as much as I do."  
  
"Talk to your mother first," Dr. Grace reiterates.  
  
Gordo nods, "I understand."  
  
Roberta looks on the verge of tears when Gordo tells her the news, "this is what I was afraid of."  
  
Gordo kneels down in front of his seated mother, "I know you counted on the fact that I wouldn't be compatible..."  
  
"I was under the impression that there was a little chance that you would be a match."  
  
"The chance was small." Gordo responds, "even Dr. Grace was surprised at how well we matched..."  
  
"The risks for you are so high." Roberta points out, "this isn't like the time they took your tonsils out, it's so much more dangerous to your health."  
  
"But it's not as dangerous to my health as not getting the transplant would be to Lizzie's life." Gordo stresses. "I could save her life, you can't stop me from doing this."  
  
"But I don't know if I can say yes either." Roberta gently touches Gordo's chin, "I don't want to loose you."  
  
"I could walk out this door today and get hit by a bus," Gordo states. "But I have to take this chance, I have to help Lizzie live, I can't just stand around watching her die."  
  
Tears are streaming down Roberta's cheeks as she nods, "I understand, you have to do this for her."  
  
"You're going to let me do this?"  
  
"I'm going to let you do this." Roberta nods. "If you don't marry her after this..."  
  
Gordo can't help but laugh from relief, "thank you so much."  
  
"I want to talk to this doctor." Roberta states.  
  
"Sure, no problem she says she will make time in her schedule for you whenever you want to meet with her."  
  
"Get me the number, I want to call tonight."  
  
Gordo nods, "all right."  
  
"We have to call your father as well, he's going to need to sign those forms too."  
  
"Why?" Gordo asks his eyes narrowing.  
  
"Because by law we have joint custody of you, it's required that he signs them too."  
  
Gordo rolls his eyes, "whatever. I've got to tell Lizzie."  
  
Roberta nods, "okay." 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five  
  
Just as a note to everyone who was confused every person has two kidneys and your body can work just fine with one of them. Meaning if Gordo gives Lizzie one of his kidneys then they will both be able to survive and live healthy lives with just one kidney.  
  
"If this is a joke Gordo, it's not funny." Lizzie is on the verge of tears after Gordo breaks the good news to her.  
  
"It's not a joke." Gordo responds, "I wouldn't joke, not about this."  
  
"And the tests..." Lizzie's eyes search Gordo's face.  
  
"The tests basically say that we are as good of matches as we could be without being related."  
  
"And your Mom?"  
  
"My Mom is going to sign all of the papers, she loves you as much as I do and she understands that you need this to save your life."  
  
"Gordo I don't know what to say..."  
  
"What is there to say, other than we have to tell your parents." Gordo states.  
  
"Gordo I can't let you do this...I mean it's a body organ. It isn't reasonable."  
  
Gordo smiles at Lizzie, "since when have you been the reasonable one?"  
  
"Gordo..."  
  
"Lizzie I passed all the psych tests they made me take, I'm pretty sure the psychiatrists know whether or not I am in the right state of mind to be donating an organ." Gordo responds.  
  
"But..."  
  
"Will you stop fighting me on this?" Gordo requests.  
  
"I..." Lizzie throws her arms around Gordo's neck, "thank you so much!"   
  
Minutes later when Sam gets home from work and walks up the porch he finds Gordo and Lizzie kissing, clearing his throat he asks, "am I interrupting something?"  
  
Both break apart and Lizzie shakes her head, "we...no...Gordo has something to tell you...you and Mom."  
  
"Okay, well come inside and say it then." Sam states walking into the house, "we'll be waiting in the living room.  
  
Gordo scoops Lizzie into his arms as she protests, "I can walk."  
  
"You know you can't," Gordo responds gently, "besides in now time you'll be walking on your own."  
  
"I hope so." Lizzie lays her head on Gordo's shoulder, the little bit of post dialysis energy she'd had was used on her excitement at Gordo's announcement and the kissing.  
  
"What's going on?" Jo asks.  
  
Quickly Gordo explains everything and a silence falls over the family which is broken by the amazed excitement that follows. Gordo couldn't keep track of the number of times Jo, Sam and Matt hugged him or the thousands of times they said thank you. "I've got to call your mother, and...and thank her." Jo states hurrying into the kitchen where she can be heard excitedly talking to Roberta. She returns several minutes later saying, "she had another call but we made arrangements to go out to dinner tomorrow night."  
  
"You look ready to sleep." Gordo comments looking towards Lizzie.  
  
Lizzie nods, "I am, I don't think I can keep my eyes open any longer."  
  
"I'll take you up to bed." Gordo responds.  
  
Lizzie quickly says good-night to her parents and brother before she places her arms around Gordo's neck, "you know what Gordo?"  
  
"What?"   
  
"I feel like a princess." Lizzie responds with a yawn.  
  
"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Gordo asks.  
  
"Because I'm being carried to safety by my night in shining armor."  
  
Gordo has reached Lizzie's bedroom by this time and she gently kisses Lizzie's forehead when he sets her down on bed. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"I love you Gordo."  
  
"I love you too Lizzie."  
  
"Forever?" She questions.  
  
Gordo nods, "forever and always."  
  
Walking down the sidewalk in front of Lizzie's house Gordo almost gets plowed over my an excited Miranda, "Mrs. McGuire just called me, is it true Gordo? Are you really giving Lizzie one of your kidneys?"  
  
"Well do you really think she would lie about it?" Gordo asks.  
  
"Of course not. I just can't believe it, I mean I never would have thought...this is just so great...she will have a new kidney and she'll be all right...and everything will be just perfect again."  
  
"Miranda," Gordo instructs, "breath."  
  
Miranda takes a deep breath, "right."  
  
"You have to keep in mind that Lizzie still has a long, painful, road ahead of her. We still have to do the transplant and her body still has to recover from that, it's not a simple surgery."  
  
"I know," Miranda nods, "but this gives us all hope where we had none."  
  
Gordo nods, "I know."  
  
Roberta is waiting for Gordo when he gets home and her face looks pale, "what's wrong?" Gordo asks.  
  
Roberta holds out the first paper in a stack of papers that had been faxed to Gordo's father that same morning and covering half of the page was what must have been a sticky note when it was faxed reading:  
  
Roberta,  
  
I can't believe you would even consider this, I refuse to sign this paper and will be flying to California tomorrow to discuss this further.  
  
Gordo's jaw drops, "Mom he can't stop us right, I mean..."  
  
Roberta offers a sad expression, "I'm afraid he can." 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six  
  
"What do you mean he can?" Gordo questions slowly trying to keep his voice calm so that he can prevent himself from giving into the fear that has no taken hold of his heart.  
"It's the whole custody thing David, we has joint custody of you meaning he has as much of a right to say no as I have to say yes." Roberta gently rests her hand on Gordo's arm.  
"He can't do this!" Gordo exclaims brushing his mother off, "it's bullshit!"  
"David Gordon!" Roberta scolds, "I understand you are upset but..."  
"No!" Gordo shouts, "you don't understand."  
"David, calm down," Roberta's words are soothing. "Don't get yourself all worked up over this now, we'll talk to your father when he gets I tomorrow and perhaps when you explain everything to him he will change his mind."  
"Fine, whatever" Gordo storms to his room at his utterance and while he feels like a five-year-old upset because he didn't get his own way Gordo doesn't care. Slamming his door Gordo enters his room and looks around it blindly, somehow the room that had once been his break from everything outside of it held only memories of times when Lizzie had been well. Months ago Lizzie had decorated Gordo's room with pictures of them, there were pictures of them from as far back as the ride home from Rome and sitting right next to it was their junior prom picture, with the them _Fly Me To the Moon_ featuring them sitting in two chairs that resembled plane seats. Tears well up in Gordo's eyes when he sees how healthy Lizzie looks, she'd opted to wear her hair down for the dress and it falls in gorgeous ringlet curls that Gordo hadn't been able to keep his hands out of that night and her skin nearly glowed; all in all she was the picture of perfect health. Unable to stand the sight of the picture any longer without breaking down Gordo moves away and instead if faced with a different picture, one taken nearly two-years ago on his 16th birthday. Gordo's father had been in town then and offered to take Gordo and Lizzie out to dinner, Howard had asked the waitress to take a picture and they had posed with Howard wrapping an arm around Gordo and an arm around Lizzie. As if it will make the situation better Gordo hurls the picture frame across the room satisfied as it crashes into hundreds of tiny pieces on the carpet.  
"David, are you alright in there?" Roberta asks several minutes later.  
"I'm fine Mom!" Gordo calls back before flopping onto his bed completely drained.  
"Can I come in? I think we should talk.  
"Mom, I'm tired, I just want to get some sleep."  
"I won't be long," Gordo's words seem to have no effect as she slips into Gordo's room.  
"Mom..." Gordo sighs but doesn't fight his mother any further, "what?"  
"I know you are disappointed about not being able to help Lizzie...."  
"Disappointed?" Gordo asks, shocked that his mother doesn't even seem to get his reasoning for the donation.  
"But," Roberta continues before Gordo can say anything further, "maybe it's for the best."  
"For the best?" Gordo stares shocked at his mother. "How can you say that?"  
"I think I jumped into this without thinking as well, I let my emotions for Lizzie get in the way of what is best for you. You're father refusing has helped me to see that."  
"You're taking his side on this?"  
"I'm sorry Gordo, but your father may be right."  
"Get out." Gordo's voice is firm, "get out."  
"David I really am sorry...."  
"Get...out..."  
"Fine, I'll go, we will talk about this more later when you have calmed down a little bit."  
  
Anger keeps Gordo up for awhile, but eventually the anger gives way to shear exhaustion and Gordo falls into a dead sleep before 11:30 only to be woken two hours later. "Gordo, wake up?" Roberta stands over Gordo her white bathroom standing out against the black of the night.  
"What?" Gordo asks yawning.  
"David, they had to take Lizzie to the hospital." Roberta's voice is tentative, she's unsure of how her son will react.  
Gordo bolts up, "what, why?"  
"Jo didn't say, she just wanted to let you know in case you wanted to go to the hospital and wait with them while they run some tests."  
Gordo bolts up, "of course I want to go."  
"I'll drive you."  
All of his anger at his mother suddenly returns, "I can drive myself."  
"David..."  
"It's fine." Gordo snaps pushing the covers off of him.  
Roberta straightens completely, "I'm driving, I'll be waiting for you in the car in five minutes."  
"Fine." Gordo responds picking up the clothes he had deposited on the floor earlier that night.  
  
"Gordo!" Jo calls Gordo the instant he steps into the emergency waiting room.  
"What happened?" Gordo asks hurrying to Lizzie's family.  
"She got up on her own, she said she was hungry so of course I offered to make her food," Jo looks to be on the verge of tears. "She made it all the way to the kitchen with a little help from Sam and then she collapsed..."  
"Has anyone called Dr. Grace?" Gordo asks.  
Sam nods, "We called her on the way to the hospital, she's seeing Lizzie now."  
"Was she awake when you guys got here?" Gordo asks.  
Jo shakes her head, crying, and Roberta hugs her without saying a word, and the rest of the group sits in the uncomfortable plastic chairs as an old _I Love Lucy_ rerun breaks the silence. Matt sits, zombie-like, flipping through a magazine that he isn't even looking at a fact made clear when he sets it back on the table and the _Pregnancy Today_ title is shown. Sam and Jo are wrapped up together, their arms around each other and in their own little world and Roberta has all ready left to make a coffee run leaving Gordo to just stare at the people around him until Dr. Grace enters the room.  
"How is she?" Gordo is the first to notice the doctor's presence and the first to speak.  
The group is all standing before Dr. Grace begins to speak, "she's gotten progressively worse, she's in desperate need of a new kidney and I believe that we should get the paper work filled out on Mr. Gordon as soon as possible."  
Gordo shifts uncomfortably, "that might be a problem."  
"Why?" Jo turns nearly wild eyes on Gordo, "what's wrong, Gordo?"  
"It's my Dad," Gordo sighs tears welling up in his eyes, tears he can't control as they slip down his cheek. "He refuses to sign the papers, he's flying out to lecture my Mom and me about how dumb and idea this is...My Mom says that they have legal joint custody and without his signature I can't do anything..."  
"Oh God," Jo murmurs her face going sheet white as she gripes Sam's arm. "Dr. Grace, what now?" 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven  
  
"I hate you." Gordo doesn't raise his voice when he says these words but he doesn't whisper them either, it's completely obvious to both of his parents at this moment their son did hate them. "She's drying, right now as we speak she is lying in a hospital bed and she is dying and neither of you seem to give a damn."  
"David, please stop over-exaggerating." Howard requests, he had flown into California and immediately came to see Gordo and Roberta in their home.  
Gordo goes red with anger, "over-exaggerating? You think I'm over-exaggerating? Then you talk to Lizzie's parents..."  
"They don't have an impartial view, the only thing they can see is that their daughter is sick." Howard adds.  
"Then talk to her doctor," Gordo adds, "Dr. Grace told us today that if she doesn't get a transplant soon then she only has about 2 months left."  
"From what I know about the transplant list process this will probably put her at the top of the list," Howard states, "she'll find someone else."  
"You don't know that!" Gordo yells, "and if she dies it's all your fault!"

"Hi," Gordo sits down next to Lizzie on her bed.  
"Hi," Lizzie whispers back.  
"How are you feeling?" Gordo asks.  
Lizzie closes her eyes and opens them again, "honestly?"  
"Of course." Gordo responds entwining his fingers with Lizzie's.  
"I feel terrible." Lizzie admits.  
Gordo lifts Lizzie's hands to his lips and gently kisses her fingers, "I wish I could help."  
"Gordo, I don't blame you, I want you to know that."  
"Blame my parents." Gordo states letting his frustration out in a deep sigh, "their being unreasonable."  
"They're looking out for what is best for you."  
"_I_ know what's best for me, and helping you is best for me."  
"Gordo please don't make this a huge deal, I won't want you to be angry at your parents because of me." Lizzie gently requests.  
Gordo stares at Lizzie, with his free hand he gently brushes his thumb across Lizzie's lip before placing a soft kiss on her lips. "You know I love you more than anything, right?"  
Lizzie nods, "I know, I love you too. This will be all right, I know it will." Gordo wraps an arm around Lizzie and within minutes she asleep cuddled up against him and because of his own lack of sleep the night before Gordo falls asleep as well.  
  
"Can I help you sir?" A cheerful nurse asks when Howard sets foot on the pediatric floor of the hospital.  
"Yes," Howard nods, "actually I'm looking for my son, he should be visiting his girlfriend."  
"Oh! You're must be Gordo's father!" The nurse exclaims cheerfully.  
"You know my son?" Howard asks.  
"Of course, everyone knows Lizzie and Gordo they are such a sweet couple. Whenenever Lizzie has to come in for dialysis Gordo was always with her, they're so sweet. Your son is truly wonderful, you raised him well."  
The nurses words take Howard by surprise, he had known Lizzie was sick but he hadn't had any idea of how much Gordo had to do with taking care of her. "So do you know where he is?"  
"Of course, he's in Lizzie's room, room 215." The nurse responds pointing in the direction of Lizzie's room.  
Howard nods, "thank you."  
"Oh," the nurse turns around to face Howard again, "they may be sleeping so you may want to be quiet going in, startling Lizzie isn't good for her."  
Howard nods again, "thank you." Howard walks slowly down the hall taking in the bright murals painted on all of the walls and the cheerful nurses who smile or wave when they walk by. Reaching Lizzie's door Howard pushes it open and stops short when he sees Lizzie and Gordo wrapped up in each other asleep.  
"Hi, Mr. Gordon." Lizzie is slowly waking up.  
"I'm sorry Lizzie, I didn't mean to wake you." Howard softly responds.  
Lizzie shakes her head, "it's okay, I'm glad you are here actually, I wanted to talk to you."  
"You did?" Howard asks, unsure of what exactly it is Lizzie wants to say.  
Lizzie nods, glancing at Gordo to make sure he is asleep Lizzie continues, "I just wanted to let you know that I don't blame you..."  
"For not letting Gordo donate his kidney?" Howard asks.  
Lizzie nods, "I understand, and my parents understand, why you are doing this. He's your only son and it's not a simple surgery."  
"You're an amazing girl Lizzie," Howard states, "but I'm not willing to risk my son. I do hope for the best for you though."  
Lizzie nods gently, "and I still have hope. They've moved me up on the list, and if it happens it happens and if it doesn't..." Lizzie lets her sentence trail, "I release what my chances of surviving are and if I do die I'm more concerned with how everyone here will take it. I'm worried about Gordo, but I know you and his Mom will be there for him, he'll be okay because he has family who loves him. But I just don't want him to feel guilty for not being able to save me, I wish that this hadn't even been brought up, because I know he blames himself."  
Howard feels tears well up in his throat but he swallows against them, surprised at how his son's girlfriend's words have touched him, "is there anything I can do for you now Lizzie?"  
Lizzie shakes her head, "I have everything I need right now, now just comes the waiting and spending as much time as possible with my family and friends."  
"If you need anything you'll ask?" Howard asks.  
Lizzie nods, "I will."  
Howard nods, "I will let you get back to your nap, and thank you for this talk."  
Lizzie shakes her head, "no, thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight  
  
"David get up." Roberta's face of Gordo's a week later at three in the morning makes Gordo's heart sink.  
"What?" Gordo bolts up in bed, "is it Lizzie?"  
Roberta nods, "yes."  
"Is she..." Gordo lets his sentence travel not wanting his mother to confirm his worst fear.  
"No," Roberta shakes her head, "they are prepping her for surgery."  
"They found a kidney?" Gordo asks.  
Roberta nods, "they think so. They are prepping her for surgery just to be sure."  
"We have to go." Gordo states.  
Roberta nods, "I know, your Dad is on his way over, he wants to ride with us."  
Once Gordo is settled into the car he pulls out his cell phone quickly hitting the second speed dial, Miranda's voice is sleepy and scared when she answers her phone, "Gordo?"  
"Get to the hospital," Gordo states quickly, "as soon as possible."  
"I'm on my way." Miranda hangs up the phone after her words and Gordo closes his phone.

Gordo comes to skidding halt in front of the McGuire family, "what's going on?" He asks, suddenly reminded of the night only a week earlier where they had been in the exact opposite situation.  
"They found a possible candidate and from what we understand she is one of three possible recipients the other two are in Arizona and New Mexico, they are running tests to see who is the best recipient, but they prep all three possibilities so they are ready." Sam explains.  
"How is she?" Gordo asks.  
"She's nervous, but excited." Jo responds.  
"When will they tell us?" Roberta asks.  
Jo shrugs, "soon I hope."  
"What's going on?" Miranda bursts into the room on the verge of tears with her parents in tow.  
"They might have found a donor for Lizzie." Matt states.  
Miranda hits Gordo hard, "jerk."  
"What?" Gordo asks startled by his best friend's response.  
"You didn't think to I don't know tell me this on the phone?" Miranda asks.  
Gordo winces, "sorry. I didn't think about it..."  
"Obviously," Miranda mutters. "Wait, what do you mean they might have?"  
Jo and Sam re-explain everything to Miranda and her parents and then the group falls into an anxious silence as they wait for someone to come out and tell them something, anything. And eventually a doctor does come into the room, he's an on call doctor and they are all unable to read he's expression. "Mr. and Mrs. McGuire?" The doctor calls softly.  
"That's us," Jo and Sam stand up with everyone else gathered around behind them.  
"I'm sorry," the doctor sigh sadly, "they found that the other two patients are better recipients."   
Sam wraps a comforting arm around Jo and everyone else makes moves of comforting each other but Gordo just blinks and walks away. "Gordo!" Roberta calls after him.  
"I have to see Lizzie." Gordo states before walking away.  
  
When he reaches her room he finds that they are just getting her settled back into her room and she has her back faced to the door, "Lizzie," Gordo calls softly.  
"Gordo," Lizzie turns around to face Gordo and he can see that she has been crying, something he hasn't seen her do in weeks.  
Gordo quickly covers the space in-between them and he kisses her and whispers, "I'm so, so sorry."  
Lizzie wraps her arms around Gordo, clinging to him, "I thought that I was going to get lucky. I thought it was time for me to get my life back."  
Gordo gently smooths Lizzie's hair, "I wanted this for you too."  
"I don't want to die Gordo." Lizzie whispers her confession. "I've tried to be strong, but I don't want to die. I just want to graduate and go to college and be a normal girl and for a little while I thought I was going to get that."  
"You will Lizzie," Gordo responds fiercely.  
"I'm scared Gordo, I'm so scared." Lizzie's words are thick with tears.  
"We'll get through this Lizzie," Gordo whispers back, "I know we will."  
Lizzie pulls away from Gordo and stares at him, her eyes shimmering with tears, "Gordo there is no we. This disease is killing _**me**_."  
Gordo moves back as if Lizzie's words have some physical effect on him, "I didn't realize."  
Lizzie's face crumbles, "Gordo I'm sorry..."  
"No," Gordo shakes his head, "you're right. I'm being insensitive, I should go, I'll um send your parents in."  
"Gordo, you don't have to go," Lizzie responds, "I didn't mean it the way it sounded. Please don't be mad."  
"I'm not mad," Gordo plants a quick kiss on Lizzie's forehead, "but I have to go. Get some fresh air..."  
  
Walking down the hallway Gordo doesn't really have anywhere to go and he doesn't realize he is walking straight towards his parents until they are right in front of him, "we should talk." Howard states.  
"No," Gordo shakes his head, his tone defeated.  
"David, really we need to talk." Roberta states.  
"No, I don't want to hear some damn psychobabble shit." Gordo states his tone harsh and startling to his parents.  
"David..." Howard's begins.  
"No." Gordo states more firmly, "I'm not one of your patients and I don't need to talk to _you_ about my feelings. My girlfriend is dying," Gordo says the words as if he is just realizing them for the first time, "and I don't want to have to talk to shrinks about it."   
  
With his words Gordo shoves past his parents and jogs down the hall and out of the pediatrics section not wanting to see Lizzie's family, Miranda and least of all not wanting to have to see or deal with his parents. Reaching into his jeans pockets Gordo is relieved to find that he has his keys in his pocket. Slipping into the drivers seat Gordo doesn't think about the fact that he is leaving his parents stranded at the hospital without a car and he pulls out of the parking spot so fast his tires squeal. Within minutes Gordo stops in front of the park and getting out of the car he slowly makes his way to the pond in the center of the park with the tree that have his and Lizzie's initials carved into them. Gordo stops in front of the tree tracing the letters, they'd carved them there years ago and every year on their anniversary they had a picnic under the tree and added a notch next to the heart. There were all ready two there and with a start Gordo realizes that today was the day that they should be adding a third one, but he refuses to add it without Lizzie and part of Gordo knows that he won't be adding another notch with her, that their time together is drawing to a close.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine  
  
One chapter left after this one...Yay almost done...I'm sorry to say though that there may not be an update til late Sunday night or Monday afternoon, sorry :(...anyway review for this please! Sorry when fixing the spaces on this I had some problems with my computer that's why the spacing is off after awhile...anyway enjoy!  
  
Gordo's cell phone seemed to ring constantly about 10 minutes after her got to the park, his mother and then his father's name flashing repetitively on the caller ID and after minutes of the phone ringing Gordo finally shuts it off, leaning against the tree and closing his eyes.  
"You idiot!" Gordo is startled awake by the harsh words and a pain in his shoulder.  
Glancing up he stares at Miranda, "what the hell?"  
"Get up," Miranda pulls Gordo to his feet, "you haven't been answering your phone."  
"I shut it off."  
"You idiot!" Miranda exclaims again.  
"What is your problem?" Gordo demands.  
"Your parents have been trying to call you," Miranda states.  
Gordo glares at Miranda, "since when do you care whether or not I talk to my parents or not?"  
"Since they've needed to talk to you, they changed their mind Gordo." Miranda hits Gordo again for good measure. "They need you at the hospital as soon as possible."  
Gordo jumps up, "they did?"  
"Well if you weren't so wrapped up in yourself they could have told you themselves."  
"I didn't know..."  
Miranda rolls her eyes, "duh. Now come on, my parents dropped me when we saw your car, I'll drive us back to the hospital so we can get this show on the road."

Even days after the surgery Gordo couldn't remember what all the prep work was, he remembered what seems like hours of tests and prepping and then 15 minutes before they were to give Gordo the anesthesia they stopped by Lizzie's room. After the emotional turmoil of the day Lizzie looked exhausted, "I don't know what to say...I didn't know what to say to your parents either."  
"You don't have to say anything," Gordo responds, "I'm just glad they are letting me do this."  
"Have you seen them?" Lizzie asks.  
Gordo shakes his head, "not yet. The instant I set foot in the hospital I was swept up in a world of tests."  
"Gordo..." Lizzie's words are tentative.  
"Yeah, Lizzie?" Gordo asks.  
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier, I didn't mean it, I was just scared I realized for the first time for real that I might actually die. But you have been here for me through all of this and I am grateful."  
"I know you are Lizzie, I was scared too." Gordo admits, "but none of that matters now, we are going to recover from this surgery and then we are going to go to the movies and out to dinner and just be normal for awhile..."  
Lizzie smiles, the first real smile Gordo had seen on her face since he had told her about donating, "sounds perfect."  
Gordo kisses Lizzie as the nurse comes back in, "ready to go Gordo?" She asks offering a smile to the two.  
Gordo nods, "very."  
"Baby we're here," Roberta's face his the first thing Gordo sees when he comes out of the anesthesia.  
  
"Mom?" Gordo questions, they had been the last people he had seen before the anesthesia had kicked in and he had said a drugged thank you to his parents.  
  
"Yeah, Dad's here too." Roberta responds and Howard can be scene over her shoulder.  
  
"Lizzie?"  
  
"She's not through yet, but when the nurse came in with an update a little while ago they said that it shouldn't be much longer." Howard assures.  
  
"Lizzie's parents want to see you, are you feeling up to it?" Roberta asks.  
  
The initial pain medication still hasn't worn off so Gordo nods, "I want to see them."  
  
Jo and Sam replace Howard and Roberta and not a lot of words are exchanged, Gordo had grown up with Lizzie's parents like they were his own and words are necessary he can read how grateful they are in their expressions. Gordo knows they want to say something to him but he beats them to the punch, "I don't want you guys to say thank you."  
  
"Why not?" Jo asks surprised by Gordo's request.  
  
"Because I did it for selfish reasons." Gordo states swallowing against the dry feeling in his mouth.  
  
Sam shakes his head, "there was nothing selfish about what you did for your daughter."  
  
"Actually there was," Gordo responds, "I did this because I want her here with me, not for any other reason. I did this because I can't see my life without her and that's why I wanted ask you both something."  
  
"Anything." Sam and Jo state together.  
  
"When Lizzie gets better, I know she has a ways to recovery, but when she's out and feeling more like herself I want to ask Lizzie to marry me. I know we're young and it won't be until after we are out of college, but I want to spend the rest of my life with her and I want her to know it."  
  
Jo has tears in her eyes at the end of Gordo's slightly slurred statement and Sam responds, "if Lizzie agrees to marry you then Jo and I have no problem with you marrying Lizzie, everyone has seen it coming anyway."  
  
Gordo nods, "thank you."  
  
A nurse comes in then breaking up the conversation with the statement, "they are bringing your daughter out of surgery and into recovery, you should be able to see her in half an hour."  
  
"What about me?" Gordo asks, "when do I get to see her?"  
  
The nurse smiles kindly at Gordo, "as soon as you get enough rest and as soon as she has gotten enough rest then I am sure it can be arranged for you to go see her. But not a minute before, for the transplant to be worthwhile you both need to be well rested, it won't do to have you going back and forth across the hospital to see each other. Besides Lizzie has to stay away from as many germs as possible this early after the surgery, you and her parents will be the only people allowed to see her for awhile."  
  
Gordo nods, "but she's okay?"  
  
The nurse nods, "the transplant surgeon spoke to Dr. Grace and he told her that it's one of the best kidney transplant surgeries he's done. Lizzie is going to be fine, given enough recovery time."


	10. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
Okay, before I start with the final chapter of Forever I would just like to state quickly that while I got my idea from Saving Jessica it has totally changed from that plot line...so I guess this ended up being more my own work than I thought it would be. Thanks to all of you who reviewed, I loved it all!  
  
"The students who are going to start off our graduation ceremony are two very special students who have defeated very difficult odds to be here today. One of them is our class valedictorian and the other is an inspiration to us all, I would like to welcome onto the stage as the first graduates and most worthy graduates of 2008 Elizabeth McGuire and David Gordon." Ms. Ungermyer takes a step back from the microphone as she watches Gordo and Lizzie walk onto stage hand-in-hand.   
  
"Thank you Ms. Ungermyer." Lizzie breaks her hold on Gordo's hand to hug her principal.  
  
"You've worked hard McGuire, your deserve to be here." Ms. Ungermyer comments. Lizzie has spent the three months after her transplant get well enough to get out of the hospital and working catch up in school so that she could graduate with her class, and with the help of Gordo and Miranda she had succeeded.  
  
Gordo shakes Ms. Ungermyer once Lizzie breaks the hug, "and you Gordon, keep taking care of Lizzie, you're a good man."  
  
Gordo takes Lizzie's hand again before he responds, "I intend to Ms. Ungermyer."  
  
"Good, have you decided on a college then?"  
  
Gordo nods, he had discussed is troubles choosing a college with Ms. Ungermyer a week before. "I'm going to the New York film school, Lizzie and I will see each other on holidays."  
  
"Good," Ms Ungermyer nods, "I know the distance won't be a problem for you two."  
  
In the stands the McGuire's, Gordon's and Sanchez' families all sit watching the pause in the graduation ceremony with all three woman wiping at their eyes and cheeks. "What are they talking about?" Jo asks.  
  
"Ms. Ungermyer has been a mentor to both of them, it could be anything."   
  
Gordo and Lizzie begin to move to the teacher handing out their diploma's before Ms. Ungermyer stops them, "and I meant to thank you two."  
  
"Thank us?" Lizzie asks turning back to face the shorter woman.  
  
Ms. Ungermyer nods, "Sergei and I are getting married, he's decided to move here."  
  
"Congratulations," Gordo and Lizzie chorus before turning around and try to prevent themselves from bursting into laughter on stage.  
  
"So are you guys coming to my party or what?" Ethan asks looking between Lizzie and Gordo.  
  
"You guys should come," Kate states, she had come to visit Lizzie while she was recovering in the hospital and two had connected like they hadn't since their trip to Rome. "It'll be fun."  
  
"We'll be there," Lizzie promises, "but Gordo has a surprise for me so we'll be there after."  
  
"Coolie," Kate nods, "we'll see you then."  
  
"So where is this surprise then?" Lizzie asks as she and Gordo walk toward his car.  
  
"The park." Gordo states.  
  
"The park?" Lizzie asks.  
  
Gordo nods and 10 minutes later he is parking the car, "our spot." Lizzie murmurs.  
  
Gordo nods, "we missed our anniversary, so I figured we could celebrate together, tonight."  
  
Lizzie smiles brightly, "I like this surprise."  
  
After making a third notch in the tree Lizzie and Gordo settle on the picnic blanket that Gordo had brought with him from the car. Gordo sit's with is back against the tree and Lizzie leaning against him, his arms wrapped around her, "so we have three months before the summer is over."  
  
"Do you think we'll be able to tolerate two weeks in a beach house with Miranda, Larry, Kate and Ethan?" Lizzie asks.  
  
"We've known them our entire lives and been able to get through worse things with them, we'll have fun."  
  
"Everyone's leaving at the end of the summer." Lizzie muses softly. "At least my parents are letting me live in dorms though...Do you think Ms. Ungermyer is right, you think we will be okay at opposite ends of the country?"  
  
Gordo turns Lizzie to face him and he stares at her for a couple seconds before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the velvet ring box Gordo kisses Lizzie. "I love you Lizzie."  
  
Lizzie can barely contain the excitement in her voice as she responds, "I love you too Gordo."  
  
"And we've been together a long time."  
  
Lizzie bites her lip to keep from giggling, "yeah we have." She points at the tree, "three years."  
  
"I've already talked to your parents, I did as soon as I came out of surgery, Lizzie, will you marry me?" Gordo asks.  
  
Lizzie eyes fill with tears and she throws her arms around Gordo's neck, "yes, of course." Pulling away Lizzie stares at Gordo, "but how...I mean we're..."  
  
"It won't be right away, I know both our parents would prefer it if we wait until we got out of college." Gordo flips open the black velvet box revealing the white gold ring with a diamond cut in the shape of a heart.  
  
"It's beautiful Gordo," Lizzie breathes as Gordo slips the ring onto her finger.  
  
"I love you Lizzie."  
  
"I love you too Gordo."  
  
"Forever?" He questions.  
  
Lizzie nods, "forever and always." 


End file.
